The NBA is on a growing trajectory. It was back in 2014 that it signed a ten-year media deal worth $24 billion with Walt Disney. Now, those conversations are to resume again. This time around, the deal might be more exorbitant. The league might be getting paid multiple more billions every year to broadcast live games on television. Yet, despite such an encouraging deal on the horizon, there is fear of it not sustaining due to LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

What exactly do they have to do with it?

James and Curry have been on the top of the NBA mountain for over a decade. Their rivalry has been centric to the NBA’s growth. No other player has generated nearly enough income or viewership for the NBA as these two have. In some sense one can argue, they are the only true ‘megastars’ in today’s league.

But what happens after them? Joe Popo explained why Adam Silver’s future plans for the NBA could be in danger.

The first signs came when Mark Cuban stepped down

Mark Cuban was the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks since 2000. He grew into one of the biggest business moguls in the world. His affiliation with the NBA and his likable character became a big reason for the NBA’s global growth. During his tenure, he saw the league grow into the second biggest sports league in the entire world, only behind the NFL.

Since then, th craze for basketball has only grown. International players increase every season. For the past five seasons, not a single MVP has been from the USA. Even with all that, Cuban decided to sell his stake within his beloved Mavericks this year. Why? While on the All The Smoke Podcast he revealed he has doubts regarding the media rights deal the NBA will sign after the current extension.

“I think this next one will be good. I don’t think it will be as long as the last one; I don’t think it will be ten years; I think it will be shorter…But I’m worried about the next one after that, because if we don’t get into the streamers, it makes sense for the streamers like Amazon and ESPN Disney to want to work with us long-term because we help reduce churn, but that’s not a sure thing… It’s not automatic that everything always gets better,” he said. 

His worries didn’t concern the players. Cuban was worried about the technological advancements happening, notably the popularity of streaming. The days of cable television are fast declining. There is no more clumsiness with wires. The world is gravitating towards streaming due to its easy interface and hassle-free service.

The multi-billionaire wasn’t sure it would necessarily benefit the NBA, hence, he decided to part ways with his biggest project. But is that the only concern for the NBA? According to Pope, the newer generation of players could pose a much more severe problem.

What does the NBA look like after Stephen Curry and LeBron James?

During an episode of his podcast, The Joe Pomp Show, the host spoke about the declining All-Star weekend and why it isn’t the biggest forthcoming challenge for the NBA. While expanding on the conversations of the media rights deal, Pope suggested the upcoming deal will be around the $5 billion per year ballpark.

He is confident the streaming platforms and other companies will offer such a lucrative deal because of the existence of two revolutionary superstars – LeBron James and Stephen Curry. They have been the core business drivers for the NBA. Their financials have never been better and business is doing amazingly well.

The real conundrum begins once they retire, which will be soon. Who is the next generation star that can carry the mantle like they did. Yes, there are the Tatums, Edwards, and Morants, but they don’t have the same mentality. Pope brought up the All-Star weekend as an example. He strongly stressed how these players are looking for incentives to motivate them to compete and put on a show for the fans. It has sidelined the most vital participants of the NBA – the fans.

“The league superstars are carrying the league today and I am specifically talking about LeBron James and Stephen Curry. But those two guys are going to be retiring. At least by the next decade, they are going to be retiring,” said Pope. “These guys are going to retire and it’s going to be up to a younger generation of players to carry that torch. What concerns me is that they are not ready for it,” 

Pope believes the on-court product is diminishing as the years go on. There is a belief that the newer generation has adopted the ring culture. What it means is that they are only concerned with winning rings since the media has painted that to be the only determination of one’s legacy. But what about the product that the NBA promises to offer?

The All-Star game is only the start. Pope cited that the coaches are concerned that younger players just aren’t ready to play defense due to their developments before coming into the league. He pointed out international players in particular, stating their focus is a lot more on individual development rather than team-based training as it is in the American academies.

The upcoming media deal is believed to be much shorter and compact in terms of valuation. It will run out the era of Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Embiid, and other stars in the making. They have the potential to keep the NBA afloat, generate business, and deliver on the amazing fan experience the league promises. The problems start after that, when they move closer into retirement.

The NBA is looking to expand into two more teams. Silver plans on spending billions in establishing these franchises and incorporating them into the league. It is a massive commitment to make. The new age stars will be solely responsible for how successful and feasible it turns out to be.

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We are seeing the last of the superstars of the modern era. Curry is 35, James is 39, Kevin Durant is 35, and James Harden is 34. Someone like Victor Wembanyama, a basketball anomaly has the potential to be the bearer of the responsibilities. But is he alone enough?